What I Know About Digital Media
(And What I’m Still Curious About)
Digital media plays a major role in how people communicate, share information, and build communities today. From social media platforms to digital news and online video, almost everything we consume is shaped by algorithms and user engagement. As a student studying advertising and production, and as a Social Media Coordinator at WMNF 88.5 FM, I’ve been able to see how digital media works both creatively and strategically.
Me working as Social Media Coordinator
My Experience With Digital Media
Since I started working at WMNF, I’ve focused on developing social media strategies, especially for Facebook. My main goal has been figuring out how to make posts stand out and get suggested by the platform’s algorithm so they can reach more people. I experimented with different types of content, captions, visuals, and posting times to see what performed best. Over the past month, at least six of my posts were picked up and suggested by Facebook, which allowed them to reach audiences beyond our existing followers.
This increase in visibility led to noticeable growth in our engagement metrics. Reactions, comments, and shares went up significantly, showing that emotionally engaging and discussion-driven content performs well on the platform. These results taught me that digital media is not just about posting content, but about understanding how people interact with it and how platforms decide what gets seen.
I also realized that certain types of content consistently perform better than others. Posts related to news, politics, and real stories about WMNF staff members tend to receive strong engagement. When the content feels timely, meaningful, and human, people are more likely to react, comment, and share. This showed me that audiences connect most with posts that feel authentic and relevant to their lives.
Articles I wrote when I was an intern that got a lot of good engagement
How Algorithms Shape What We See
Algorithms play a major role in deciding what content people see on social media. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram prioritize posts that receive strong engagement such as reactions, comments, and shares. Recently, Instagram introduced new features that give users more control over what appears in their feeds, showing how important personalization has become in digital media.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/instagram-users-control-algorithms-new-feature/story?id=128252102
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/instagram-users-control-algorithms-new-feature/story?id=128252102
At WMNF, I noticed that posts about news, politics, and real stories about our staff consistently received higher engagement. These posts felt more human and relatable, which encouraged more interaction. This matches current media trends. After an oversaturation of AI generated content, audiences are now responding better to authentic and imperfect storytelling that feels real and personal.
https://digiday.com/media/after-an-oversaturation-of-ai-generated-content-creators-authenticity-and-messiness-are-in-high-demand/
https://digiday.com/media/after-an-oversaturation-of-ai-generated-content-creators-authenticity-and-messiness-are-in-high-demand/
Facebook performance overview since I started taking over WMNF’s Social Media Coordinator.
What I’m Still Curious About
Even with the success I have seen, I am still curious about how to consistently get content suggested by the Facebook algorithm. I want to understand what matters most, such as posting time, emotional tone or early engagement.
I am also curious about how digital media will continue to balance technology and authenticity. My experience at WMNF has shown me that people respond most to content that feels real, meaningful and community focused.
Top performance posts
Why Digital Media Matters to Me
Working at WMNF has shown me how social media can bring attention to important issues, promote local events, and give a voice to different groups in the Tampa Bay area.
At the same time, digital platforms come with responsibility. Content creators must think about accuracy, ethics, and impact, not just views and likes. As digital media continues to evolve, I’m excited to keep learning, experimenting, and improving how I use these platforms to make a meaningful difference.
